


The View From The Stars

by ununoriginal



Category: NewS (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-04
Updated: 2008-09-04
Packaged: 2017-12-14 16:24:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/838927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ununoriginal/pseuds/ununoriginal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do I look like, from the stars over there? NewS/Shige, in a vague, squinty sort of way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The View From The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> A monster that ballooned our of all proportions, inspired by Shige's essay in October's Myojo.

_Uchi/Shige_  
  
The first time Uchi and Shige go out for dinner after filming is done for their respective dramas, Uchi finds out that Shige is a sentimental drunk.  
  
Shige had put his foot down and sent the waiter off before Uchi could also order his alcohol, still sensitive and cautious after all this time, though he had no qualms getting himself more than a couple of beers, Uchi thinks wryly, observing Shige's increasingly flushed face as the other man expounds animatedly on his fellow cast members.  
  
Then, all of a sudden, he pauses midway, smiling at Uchi, and Uchi feels his heart almost skip a beat.  
  
“Na, Uchi, it's so nice to be able to sit with you here like this, and also... getting to see you at drama filming,” Uchi thinks Shige's eyes are looking a bit watery, “it's like you've come back to us already.”  
  
Uchi is practically sure that Shige is going to reach across the table and grab his hand, but Shige stops short at his beer glass and throws back another huge gulp.  
  
Uchi watches on, amused, totally enjoying this Shige whose words come tumbling out of his mouth, without the usual censor as his inhibitions get dismantled by the alcohol.  
  
“Hopefully it's only a matter of time,” Uchi answers agreeably, and starts singing 'Hadashi no Cinderella Boy' – it's his tiny ray of hope, they wouldn't have used a NewS song for his drama if he isn't going to return to the band one day, right?   
  
He's barely into the chorus when Shige, whose eyes have become progressively redder as he listens, bursts into uncontrollable sobbing, finally abandoning the beer glass in favour of clutching Uchi's hand.  
  
Uchi laughs, though he's secretly a little relieved they've chosen a restaurant that has individual booths – and squeezes Shige's hand back. “Hey, aren't I supposed to be the crybaby here?”  
  
Shige just takes one look at him and tries to say something, but it all just comes out as hiccuping breaths and lots of head-shaking. He lets go of Uchi's hand to gesticulate wildly before reaching for his beer glass again. Uchi prudently moves it out of his reach and scoots around the table, settling down beside Shige, slinging an arm comfortably over Shige's shoulders.  
  
He tells himself it's just to comfort Shige and calm him down, but part of him is imprinting the feel of Shige's spiky hair tickling his cheek and the solidity of Shige's muscles under his clothes.   
  
He leans in close to Shige and whispers, “It's ok, goringo, I know.”  
  
And he really does, because he also feels the same way, knowing that he's truly fortunate to be here with his bandmate like this, after a day of proper work, laughing and joking about their experiences. Ryo told him that NewS has changed and right now, sitting next to Shige, Uchi thinks he finally understands the emotion underlying that statement. It feels like he's getting to know Shige all over again, and he's surprised at how appealing and exciting he finds that thought.  
  
He leans back against the back of the booth, pulling Shige with him, and starts humming 'Hoshi wo Mezashite', which of course, sets Shige off all over again. He lets Shige lean against his shoulder, savouring Shige's warmth seeping through the layers of their clothing, while he pats Shige's cheek reassuringly and playfully ruffles Shige's hair.  
  
***  
  
 _Kusano/Shige_  
  
The day Kusano tells Shige he's going to New York to study English and dance, Shige pauses for a moment in drinking his espresso, then nods and says, “Is that so? Well, at least I finally have a clearer picture of what you're learning.”  
  
Kusano protests that Shige just doesn't like Career Design because it's a non-traditional subject, and Shige, with all the snobbishness a Law student is capable of, retorts that just because the course is new, it doesn't give it an excuse to have such a ridiculously vague curriculum. Kusano proceeds to try and flatten Shige's hair in retaliation and a minor scuffle ensues.  
  
“Ne, Kusano, this is what you really want,” Shige says once they settle down. “They're not making you go, it's your choice.” It's a statement, but Kusano can hear the question behind it. Shige's staring at him with large, worried eyes, and Kusano gets pulled back in time to a room oppressive in its silence, the torturous seconds ticking by as they awaited the announcement of NewS' and Kusano's fate.  
  
Kusano gives Shige a kick under the table. “Remember what you promised me back then? When I was just suspended?” He can say it easily now, though for the longest time, the words always grated coming out, like a fishbone stuck, scratching, in his throat.  
  
  
The decision to suspend NewS had left Koyama and Tegoshi in tears, Yamapi and Massu's faces were abnormally sombre, (Ryo was absent and Kusano thought it was probably better because it meant that he was with Kanjani8 and thus surrounded by friends) and Shige, Shige had looked so lost.  
  
Later, when Shige had come by to visit Kusano, he had seemed so fragile, as if one wrong touch would shatter him into a million tiny pieces.  
  
Maybe that was what prompted Kusano to grab Shige by the shoulders and give him a shake. “What are you looking so defeated for? This is all going to pass.”  
  
Shige's dark eyes gazed back at him, filled with pain and uncertainty. “I believe you, Kusano. I believe you didn't do it. But why is it so hard to make them think so too?”  
  
They stared at each other a moment more before Kusano let go of Shige and flopped back onto his bed to stare at the ceiling, sighing explosively. After a while, he felt the mattress dip gently as Shige quietly lay down beside him.  
  
“Shige, hey, Shige,” Kusano reached out, nudging the other boy with his right arm, “promise me one thing. Don't give up, hang on in there, alright? For yourself... and also for me.”  
  
Shige didn't reply, but as Kusano was almost drifting off, he felt Shige's fingers close firmly over his own and he fell asleep with a grin on his face.   
  
  
Kusano's still grinning now, as Shige glances away, flushing slightly in embarrassment.   
  
“I'm going for both our sakes,” he declares proudly.  
  
“Huh? What do you mean?” The frown lines on Shige's forehead start making an appearance.  
  
“This is the one thing we'll never truly get to do, having entered this industry,” Kusano explains. “But now I have this opportunity, to explore the world, experience what it's like to live in a foreign country, so I'm going to do it. Then you'll have someone other than Wagahai reporting back to you about strange and exotic places.” He pokes Shige in the shoulder cheekily.  
  
Shige looks back at him, speechless for a few seconds, and then gives Kusano a whack on the head. “Baka, you're going to New York, how exotic is that?” But he's smiling and his voice cracks a little at the end.  
  
  
It's a pretty packed and exciting life in New York, but Kusano still likes to stay in touch with things going on back home. The first couple of weeks are difficult, but his own natural exuberance and e-mail spam from Shige and Koyama soon help him get over it.   
  
He goes online to check out the video clip of Shige's interview for his stageplay, cheers and applauds for him in the privacy of his own room. Even though they're an ocean apart, Kusano believes that Shige can still feel him, living and working hard for the both of them, just like how Shige is living and working hard in Japan as well, fulfilling the promise he had made to Kusano, all those years ago.  
  
***  
  
 _Massu/Shige_  
  
It's one of the days after they've finished practice for the upcoming concerts, not long after the New Year's Countdown where NewS made their triumphant return. Massu is messing about as usual, whiling away the time till the crowds thin out before he makes the long trip home, when he looks up to see Shige standing in front of him, a slightly shy and nervous expression on his face.  
  
“Hey, Massu, could I-- could I ask you for a favour?” Shige distractedly tucks his long fringe behind his ear.  
  
“Sure, what is it?” Massu smiles back.  
  
“I know it's late and all, but coulduhelpmerunthroughthedancestepsagain?”

Massu can't make out Shige's mumbling until the third try. He wonders a bit that Shige doesn't ask Koyama but figures it's because the other members have all left earlier. It's not as if he doesn't have time on his hands anyway, and when he ends up getting home later than usual, he's still happy that he got to help out his bandmate.

Then one time becomes two, becomes four, five, seven, and soon it develops into a routine. At least once or twice a week, especially as concert season approaches, or when they're due for PV filming and television appearances, Shige will stay back and ask Massu for help over their choreography.

They're grabbing a quick bite to recharge after the official combined practice is over, and Shige's munching on the gyoza he's stolen from Massu's bento as he industriously flips through his notes – exam period is coming up and Shige always tries to squeeze in as much as possible during the breaks they have.

It occurs to Massu then that Shige doesn't ever seem to ever ask anyone else for help with his dancing, and this time he gets really curious, so he resolves to ask Shige afterwards, since Shige looks so engrossed right now.

“I guess it's because Massu can be quiet when it counts,” Shige replies as they pack their things and head out into the night.

“What do you mean?” Massu is a bit puzzled.

“Well, at first it was because I really needed help with the dancing, but I didn't want to ask Koyama because the idiot would just laugh and nag at me, and Tegoshi – enough said.” Shige wrinkles his nose in an unexpectedly cute manner, Massu thinks, as he turns over the thought of learning how to dance from someone who's technically his kouhai. “And I couldn't possibly ask Yamashita-kun or Nishikido-aniki, and Tegoshi mentioned that practicing with you over the past year really helped improve his skills, so I thought I would ask you.”

Shige ticks off each person matter-of-factly, logical as always, but Massu still likes that it leads to him in the end. “And after we started the extra practice, I realised that spending time with Massu is actually pretty calming. I don't know, for some reason, you de-stress me.” He gives Massu a crooked grin.

A warmth spreads from somewhere around Massu's heart, bursting out to the rest of him at Shige's words. He thinks of the various times when Shige would wordlessly sit down next to him with his stacks of law texts, while Massu continues with whatever little task he's engaging in. There aren't many words involved in their interaction, but Massu realises that it's the silence he offers that is what Shige needs and appreciates.

So although initially he feels a little bad that he won't be able to help Shige out more with his stageplay, seeing as there would be no song and dance involved, when Shige plops down next to him on the couch in their dressing room, still scribbling away in earnest in his notebook, Massu feels better, knowing that his presence next to Shige is more than enough.

*

_Tegoshi/Shige_

Tegoshi really means it when he tells Taichi-kun on Shounen Club Premium that Shige is an amazing and interesting person, and he's totally sincere when he agrees with their dai-senpai that Shige should be on the show.

But Shige doesn't seem to believe him, especially amidst the flurry of 'Kato-san's making the rounds of the agency's dressing rooms and corridors, following in the wake of the episode's airing.

So for once, Shige grumpily declines to go out for dinner with Koyama when he hears Tegoshi is coming along, opting to head off home with Massu instead.

Tegoshi watches them leave, feeling a bit disappointed.

“Tegoshi just wants the world to see how amazing Shige can be, ne.” Koyama's always been pretty good at sensing other people's thoughts.

“Yes, but... it doesn't seem to have worked out that way...” Tegoshi bites his lip, wondering what he could do to improve his prickly relationship with Shige.

“ Shige... well, Shige sometimes doesn't have so much faith in his own abilities and appeal.  Doesn't make sense , I know,” Koyama raises a hand to forestall Tegoshi's protests, “but that's just part of his nature. And then when he sees how much you've grown and improved, considering you've spent less than half the time we did in the jimusho, he feels that when you praise him, it's very patronising. ”

Tegoshi still doesn't fully understand, because he's always seen Shige as one of his role models.

Here is a boy, the same age as Tegoshi, but much more experienced in the ways of the jimusho, juggling work, gruelling practice and school just fine – he even manages to make time for his friends both at the agency and outside of work. Even though he's debuted with NewS, he has no intention of giving up his plan to enter university. And apart from being scarily genius academically, he's also witty, funny and pretty decent on the guitar.

Tegoshi definitely has more than one case of hero worship for his band members, but beyond idolising Shige, Tegoshi wants them to be friends – proper friends. He wants Shige to smile and joke easily with him the way he does with Koyama and Kusano; to have Shige casually ask him out for dinner like he asks Massu; to share his dreams and concerns with him like he does with Koyama.

Maybe it's a little greedy, but Tegoshi has always believed that he can always achieve what he intends, as long as he wants it and goes for it hard enough.

So he makes use of his new-found cuteness to get Shige to become his exclusive hairstylist – even Shige can't hold up against the full force of the wide, imploring eyes and pleading pout.

He knows he did the right thing whenever he sees the tiny smile of pride on Shige's face reflected in the mirror each time Tegoshi admires Shige's efforts. He learns how to gauge Shige's moods by the manner in which Shige handles his hair from day to day – playfully tugging when he's in a good mood, but carefully gentle whenever he's stressed or upset, as if he's worried that his frustrations will spill over and spread to Tegoshi as well.

Over the months of idle chatter Tegoshi strikes up with Shige during their sessions, Tegoshi finally feels the barriers between him and Shige gradually melting away.

 

When they get ready for their adult ceremony, Shige helps Tegoshi with some final touch-ups, as usual. Then they stand side by side, looking at their suit-clad reflections.

“Tegoshi's really changed since our debut, ne,” Shige suddenly says. “You must have worked extra hard to get to where you are now.” He turns to Tegoshi with a determined expression on his face. “I won't fall behind – I'll be working even harder as well.”

Tegoshi stares back at Shige, a little taken back by the abrupt declaration, but then he's laughing merrily and glomping Shige, while Shige protests and ineffectually tries to bat him away.

***

_Yamapi/Shige_

“Eh?! Yamashita-kun's not going to try the university entrance exams?!”

That's what probably started it all, Yamapi thinks as he sits, knees drawn up, at the back of the van that's bringing him to his next work location, contemplating the official piece of paper with the Meiji University header on it.

The words on the letter blur in front of him as a much younger Shige's face swims to the forefront of his memories, the incredulous expression matching the tone of his outburst. Yamapi must have frowned then, because Shige's features instantly turned anxious and placating as he quickly backtracked. “I'm sorry, Yamashita-kun! I didn't mean to say it so strongly. It's just... it seems such a pity, considering how hard you're already working for your finals.”

“No, no, it's alright.” Yamapi had brushed it off with a cryptic smile that didn't seem to reassure Shige much, and the other boy had carefully kept quiet for the rest of their study session, only speaking up when Yamapi prodded him for the method to solve the next few questions on his math mock-trial exam paper.

They'd been having fairly regular tutoring sessions ever since Koyama had approached Yamapi while the latter was getting increasingly frustrated at the math homework he could make neither head nor tails of. He drew a reluctant Shige out from behind him, offering Shige's brain to Yamapi's rescue.

Ordinarily,Yamapi's pride would have prevented him from condescending to seek the aid of one of his kouhai, even if they were in the same band, but his form teacher was making rumblings of failing and retention – Johnny's idol status irregardless - and Yamapi's getting a little desperate.

After Shige got over his awkwardness at having to teach Yamapi something, he had proved to be surprisingly good at explaining the concepts involved to Yamapi and guiding him to the solutions. By the end of the session, Yamapi was all too glad that Shige had a solid grasp of science and English as well.

“Ne, Shige,” Yamapi asked as they clear away the books after this latest session ended. “You'll go on to university after you graduate, won't you?”

“Yes.” Shige nodded, and there is something in the way that Shige answers that told Yamapi that Shige never ever thought of the alternative.

“Why?”

“Well,” Shige spoke slowly and Yamapi could see him turning over the question in his mind, “I guess there're various factors involved, but what it comes down to is that even though it will be a challenge, I know I can do it, and I will be able to learn important things about myself and the world outside this industry along the way.”

After Shige excused himself and left with Koyama and Kusano, Yamapi replayed their short exchange in his head and realised it was the first time he and Shige had had a proper conversation.

When it's announced that Yamapi will be entering Meiji University as an undergraduate in its Business School, he receives countless well-wishes and congratulatory messages. Shige's simple _'Yamashita-kun, omedetou. Otsukaresama-deshita,'_ is one of the few messages he still keeps.

The first year or so goes pretty well. He is studying something he likes, which makes learning the subject easier, and when it comes to the tricky bits, Shige is always around to help with deciphering the jargon. Besides which, he also doesn't lack study partners – Shige and Tegoshi are both cramming for their final year in high school, and Koyama also tries to snatch the time in between breaks to do readings or assignments.

Yamapi grows to appreciate the oasis of calm that will settle over them as they gather at one end of the table in the dressing room, Shige's and Tegoshi's quiet murmurs as they debate and exchange notes, Koyama muttering under his breath as he flips the pages of his textbook.

Then Kusano's scandal breaks and brings with it NewS' suspension.

Yamapi recalls emailing Shige to congratulate him on successfully entering Aoyama's Law Department and receiving Shige's reply of thanks and ' _ganbatte kudasai, Yamashita-kun,_ ' but things are different. He's lost Shige's focused, determined presence grounding him against the whirl of activities that make up his life as an idol.

Gradually, as the hiatus progresses, and Yamapi is inundated with dramas and single promotions and so on, more and more classes get missed and the textbooks lie unopened on his desk. He stops bringing his notes along to work because there is no longer anyone to discuss them with.

He tells himself it's because work just got too busy, that he can't afford to spare the time when he also has to deal with being in a unit with two foreigners, that it is his first time as a leading actor in a drama, and he needs to concentrate fully on that in order to deliver his best performance. After that, it's because Jin has come back and he hasn't been able to spend time with his mabudachi for so long, and NewS is touring and there is more drama filming and the movie.

All it ultimately leads to is this – this piece of paper with its neat lines of print informing him that he's missed too many classes, failed one exam too many, to be able to graduate this spring with the rest of his cohort.

The letter gets crumpled unconsciously as Yamapi once again hears Shige's admiring voice, from their latest night out for dinner and drinks.

“Yamashita-kun will be graduating this year, won't you? It's amazing, considering how busy you are. With my schedule I'm already barely getting enough sleep as it is – I just hope I'll be able to handle things as well by the time I reach my final year too.”

Yamapi had waved it off and changed the subject, ordering more yakiniku and beer for the two of them.

The van reaches its destination and Yamapi's manager hurries him off. The scrunched-up letter gets shoved to the bottom of Yamapi's bag, the weight of its condemnation making the load on his shoulder feel so much heavier than it usually is.

 

“I'm so sorry, Shige!” Yamapi bursts out, half-drunk, during their next outing a couple of days later. They're sitting side by side in the yakitori place they've been frequenting quite regularly, and Shige pulls away in startlement.

“Sorry? What for?” Shige replies, taken aback by Yamapi's unexpected apology.

“I... I won't--” But the bitterness of defeat makes it too difficult to force out the words, so he digs the envelope out of his bag and tosses it over to Shige, who opens it curiously.

After taking out the smoothened and refolded letter and scanning its contents, Shige looks back at Yamapi, who finds the sympathetic light in Shige's eyes just makes it that much worse.

"I lost the challenge, Shige.  I let everything slide."  He slumps forward bonelessly on the table, his outstretched arm barely missing his empty beer glass. He's lost track of how much alcohol he's poured into his system, but it still doesn't seem to wash away the anger and self-recrimination roiling inside of him.

“No. You haven't.” Shige's firm voice cuts into his haze of negative thoughts. “That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard you say, Yamashita-kun, and that's really saying something, with all the times I've seen you drunk recently.” The last bit is muttered under his breath, but still earns him a drunken smack from said drunkard nonetheless.

“It's not like you won't be able to finish,” Shige continues. “You're almost done! Look, it's only thirty credits, and Yamashita-kun has always been more of a 'my-pace' kind of person anyway. And well, if you still need a study partner...”

And like it did four years before, the strength of Shige's certainty flows into Yamapi, clearing away the doubts and insecurity. He feels happier for the first time since he's received the letter and that, combined with the number of drinks he's had, leaves him in a state of peaceful fuzziness.

“Well, Shige does have a point.” He yawns contentedly as he pillows his head on Shige's shoulder, savouring his new-found feeling of calm acceptance. “I've always preferred summer anyway.”

***

_Ryo/Shige_

It's after Uchi is suspended that Ryo starts taking notice of Shige. He's got in early for once and is curled up on the dressing room couch trying to catch some shut-eye when the door opens and a husky, animated voice breaks the hushed quiet.

Shige is on the phone, excited over something, what Ryo can't tell – all he's concentrating on is the Kansai-ben that's colouring Shige's words, painting a picture of Uchi and home in Ryo's sleep-befuddled mind. The couch Ryo's on has its back against the door, so Shige happily chatters away with whomever is on the line, believing himself to be all alone.

Ryo lets his voice wash over him, feeling strangely better for the first time in weeks, and slowly drifts deeper into slumber.

He's woken up later by Pi and he looks sleepily over his friend's shoulder to spy Shige observing him back warily. The younger boy has obviously realised that Ryo was in the room all along and probably expected some sort of sting from the poison tongue for disturbing Ryo's rest.

Ryo keeps his silence, mock-punching Pi instead. He's feeling quite peaceful today.

 

Everyone, Shige most of all, is surprised when Ryo starts paying especial attention to Shige, not that Shige appreciates it at all. It's criticism, insult, criticism all the way – his hair is wrong, his eyebrows too thick, his limbs uncoordinated, his singing sucks and his dancing is atrocious, and to top it all off, his fashion sense is bordering on the ridiculous.

Shige initially bears it stoically, but the contrary personality that can give Ryo's a run for his money finally surfaces through the inhibitions of senpai-respect, and he starts answering back. Shige's logical, and also increasingly snarky retorts just pisses Ryo off all the more.

It culminates one day in the dressing room after a fast and furious exchange, when Ryo, exhausted and in a nasty mood, shoves Shige so hard the latter stumbles back against the couch and barely keeps from falling.

Ryo's sorry by the time it takes Shige to regain his footing, but the apology chokes in his throat and he can only meet Shige's eyes, flashing with hurt and anger, wordlessly.

Shige stalks towards him and Ryo unconsciously braces himself, but Shige merely reaches past Ryo to grab his bag off the table.

“Yamashita-kun, I'm not feeling well today. I think I'll take the rest of the day off.” He's out the door before any of the other members, stunned by the sudden scuffle, can do anything.

The slamming of the door behind Shige galvanises Koyama and Kusano to dash out after their friend, while Tegoshi and Massu just look on helplessly, frozen by the suffocating tension hanging in the air. Pi's face is expressionless, but Ryo's known him too long not to understand that it's only masking his disappointment.

“Ryo-chan,” Pi sounds utterly serious for once, “Shige isn't Uchi. You're not being fair to him.”

“What? No! I'm not--” But even as he says it, it hits Ryo like a bullet train that he has been unconsciously chasing Uchi's shadow within Shige, ever since that day he overheard Shige on the phone. He's been grasping at illusions, and has become an unreasonable jerk in the process.

Ryo apologises to Shige the next day, which Shige guardedly accepts, offering his own apology as well for his own part in the quarrel. But he keeps his distance from Ryo from then on, while guilt and a cowardly sense of relief keeps Ryo from doing anything to improve their superficial interactions.

Still, when Ryo, stuck in Osaka, is informed of Kusano's debacle and NewS' subsequent suspension, the first person he thinks of, after Pi, is Shige.

 

After NewS returns from hiatus, Ryo resolves to be a better senpai and takes both Tegoshi and Shige out for drinks. It feels a little weird, but Tegoshi and his newborn chirpiness camouflages the underlying awkwardness lingering between Ryo and Shige. Ryo tries not to let it bother him as he orders another round of beer.

As the alcohol flows though, they all start feeling mellower and Shige is losing the formality he's been hiding behind every time he has to deal with Ryo. He's joking and laughing easily, expression more carefree and younger than Ryo can remember seeing.

He glances slyly at Ryo and smirks, making a snide comment about Ryo's height that would never have crossed his lips had he been sober, and Ryo's arm automatically moves in a tsukkomi before he even realises it.

Shige winces and Ryo does too, in his heart, cursing his hair-trigger reflexes, Shige's accusing eyes flashing at him again across the years.

“Mou, aniki, would it kill you to be a bit more gentle?” Shige's hand is still against his forehead, rubbing the abused area. “This brain still needs to be used for classes tomorrow,” he groans, sounding like the whiny twenty-one-year-old that he's supposed to be. The tone is accusing, but there's no resentment in the eyes fake-glaring back at Ryo's.

It makes Ryo feel closer to Shige than he's ever been.

So he merely cackles gleefully and, 'gently', proceeds to mess up Shige's hair.

***

_Koyama/Shige_

Koyama doesn't get all the hoo-ha over Shige's latest hairstyle.

By all appearances, Shige merely got his hair cut and spiked up, and now even Nakamaru has commented on how Shige's changed. As far as Koyama's concerned though, Shige is still the same ornery, nitpicky, complaint-prone, quick-witted, intelligent yet inexplicably insecure person who entered Koyama's life eight years ago.

Shige still spends a large part of their breaks mugging, just that the textbooks have been upgraded a level. He still gets engrossed and totally carried away with whatever passion he's into, as evidenced by the decreasing shelf space on Shige's camera rack, and the increasing number of photographs that feature Koyama and, once in a while, Nyanta.

Shige still scribbles away in his notebooks, just that nowadays the end product is shared with the world, whereas in the past, it used to be just Koyama.

Shige's habit of overstretching himself has remained the same, and so has Koyama's custom of calling him at midnight to remind Shige to stop studying or whatever and go get some rest.

Shige still calls Koyama baka everyday, but Koyama knows that Shige is prouder than anyone else that Koyama graduated from Meiji with honours.

Koyama also knows that although Shige pretends to be put upon whenever he's called to do the 'lip-thing' in I.ZA.NA.ZU.KI., he's actually practiced countless times in their hotel room, trying to channel Yamapi or Ryo, just to make sure that it looks sexy enough when the cameras finally zoom in on him onstage.

And that although Shige talks about how much he enjoyed his trip to Australia, he also got incredibly homesick, because he ran up an exorbitant phone bill, calling Koyama every single day.

Koyama knows that Kusano's absence hit Shige harder than anyone, and that Shige seriously contemplated truly becoming a lawyer three separate times.

Gradually, something dawns on Koyama.

“Ne, Shige, Shige!”

“What.” Shige doesn't take his attention away from whatever he's writing on the notepad in front of him.

They're having coffee at their regular cafe a couple of blocks from the jimusho before Koyama heads in for Shokura taping and Shige goes for afternoon classes. The rest of the day, Koyama knows, is going to be packed for Shige, all the way into late evening, because on this day of the week, Shige meets with his group mates for their combined assignment. Thankfully though, the next day is invariably a light one for Shige, though he still needs to come in early for their magazine photoshoots.

“I just realised that I have your entire schedule memorised!”

“Wow.”

“Ne, Shige, does anyone know you better than me?”

This does make Shige pause to give Koyama a fond, slightly exasperated glance. “I only see you every other day, talk to you on the phone every night, tell you all my hopes, dreams, joys and deepest darkest secrets.” Shige ticks off each point with his fingers. “What do you think?”

Koyama's face breaks into a wide smile and he's filled with so much love for his best friend in the whole wide world that he just has to give him a hug, public place irregardless, but Shige's already pre-empted him and is warding him off with his right arm.

 

The next day, in between photoshoots, Shige shows Koyama the rough draft of his Myojo essay for the upcoming issue. It's deeply philosophical as usual, about change and the things within – internal beliefs and external perceptions. There's an excerpt from an essay Shige wrote years ago, which Koyama remembers reading back then. It had touched him deeply then, leaving him a little awed at Shige's writing ability, just as it still touches him now, reading those vaguely familiar sentences once again.

“It's one in a million,” Koyama says as he returns Shige his notebook.

“What is?” Koyama can tell that Shige is preparing for a 'Koyama-is-a-baka” answer.

“The view, from over here. It's still as breathtaking, incredible and awesome as it was eight years ago. It's one in a million.” _You're one in a million._

Koyama has also always known what to say to render Shige speechless.


End file.
